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All Erie County travel bans have been lifted, travel advisory remains in place for entire county

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The travel bans that were put in place in Erie County on Wednesday due to the heavy lake effect snow were all lifted as of 8 a.m. Thursday.

Although the travel bans have been lifted, the entire county remains under a travel advisory until 7 p.m. Thursday.

The City of Buffalo is lifting its travel ban effective 8AM. All of Erie County will now be under a travel advisory, as lake effect snow will continue through 7PM today. NYS will be evaluating the commercial driving ban on the 90 later this morning. pic.twitter.com/bBRNSsseQZ — Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) January 18, 2024

The travel ban that was in place for the City of North Tonawanda was lifted at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. A travel advisory will remain in place until noon Thursday.

The New York State Thruway lifted the commercial vehicle driving ban on the I-90 at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday.

Route 219 also reopened on Thursday morning.

An On-Street Parking Ban remains in effect in the Village of Blasdell until Saturday morning.

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December 22, 2022 Winter storm news

By Aya Elamroussi , Travis Caldwell , Aditi Sangal , Adrienne Vogt , Leinz Vales , Tori B. Powell and Matt Meyer , CNN

New York governor declares state of emergency

CNN's Rob Frehse

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and issued a traffic ban on part of Interstate 90 that begins Friday at 6 a.m. due to the incoming storm's expected brutality.

On Thursday, Hochul highlighted the quick changes in temperature and dangerous commute New Yorkers will face, adding that there will be a "full traffic ban on the 1-90 from Exit 56 to the Pennsylvania line" beginning tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. as well.

“The vacillation in weather, it’s going to be dropping drastically, over 35 degrees in some parts of our state, extremely low wind chills and we’ll have standing water and snow and dangerous road conditions,” Hochul said at a press conference. 

She also said New Yorkers should expect blizzard conditions and 1 to 3 feet of snow in some parts of the state.

The governor pointed to the importance of the state’s storm response, including the 2,000 snowplows being deployed, 24-7 operation centers established and the 7,500 prepositioned utility workers across the state.

"Even before the first limb falls, we’re ready to handle this, so we’re preparing for that,” Hochul said.

Blizzard conditions are possible for multiple days in Buffalo, according to National Weather Service

A blizzard warning will take effect at 7 a.m. ET Friday for Buffalo, New York, and surrounding communities, where feet of snow and 70 mph wind gusts are likely, according to the National Weather Service.

The combination of the snow associated with the bomb cyclone, very heavy lake-effect snow and the high winds will lead to the deteriorating conditions. 

“Travel will be extremely difficult to impossible at times,” the weather service said . 

Snowfall totals of 1 to 3 feet are expected in the city and snowbelts south of the city. The blizzard conditions are possible for multiple days. 

“Very strong winds are expected to continue Friday night and Saturday with wind-driven heavy lake effect snows northeast of the Lakes. Heavy lake snows will last through at least Christmas Day, possibly lingering into the first part of next week,” the weather service said.

Extreme wind and flash-freezing conditions expected to wreak havoc across Ohio throughout Christmas weekend 

From CNN’s Hannah Sarisohn 

Ohio will face a “unique and dangerous” situation throughout Christmas weekend as flash freezing conditions will start Thursday night and continue early Friday morning, Gov. Mike DeWine said.  

“We do face a crisis today,” DeWine said at a storm safety news briefing Thursday afternoon. “This is going to impact all the citizens of Ohio. Every county, from one end of the state to the other.” 

DeWine said extreme temperatures will be close to zero Thursday night, adding that the entire state will be hit with flash freezing conditions by 4 a.m. ET Friday. 

“When Ohioans get up tomorrow morning, the roads are going to be very, very dangerous and very, very difficult, DeWine said. “Flash freezing will occur very quickly. Roads will become dangerous very quickly. The obvious recommendation to everyone is to stay home. There is significant danger that could come from driving off the road.” 

DeWine acknowledged that people are expecting to travel over the Christmas holiday to be with loved ones, but he urged the public to be careful. 

“Understand these are unique circumstances, DeWine said. "We all have an urge to be with family and friends, but use common sense."

Ohio Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Sima Merick said she’s not only concerned about flash freezing, but also falling temperatures and extreme wind chills, which are expected to last through Christmas Day. 

Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks said 3,000 people and 1,600 snowplows are ready to work in 12-hour shifts until the storm is over.  

Cold, wind, ice and snow: Here's what you need to know about the winter storm

A winter storm crossing the US is causing treacherous conditions on roadways, extensive flight delays and drastic temperature drops. Here's the latest:

Travel hazards : Officials in many states have urged residents to stay off the roads or exercise caution in the face of extreme weather.

• Interstate 90 between South Dakota's largest cities has been closed due to "blizzard-like conditions" and stuck or stranded vehicles, according to transportation officials. Interstate 29 was also shut down in the state between Sioux Falls and the North Dakota border.
• Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said that residents can expect roads to be dangerous to travel on, with ice and strong wind gusts expected.

Flight delays and cancellations : During a busy holiday travel week, airlines have canceled over   2,100 US flights as of 3:30 p.m. ET on Thursday and proactively canceled more than 1,000 flights on Friday, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware. There are more than 5,700 delays across the US on Thursday as of 3:30 p.m. ET.

Bone-chilling cold and wind : Wind chill alerts now cover around 150 million Americans, or nearly half of the US population , according to a data analysis from the CNN Weather team.

Casper, Wyoming set a record low of -42 degrees Thursday morning. A record-low temperature of -20 degrees was registered for Pullman, Washington, which was 44 degrees below its average low of 24 degrees , according to the National Weather Service in Spokane. 

Meanwhile, much of northern Florida  is under  a wind chill advisory, while central Florida  is under  a freeze watch and hard freeze watch.

Crown Point on the Oregon coast is experiencing very strong wind gusts, with the National Weather Service in Portland saying a gust of 86 mph caused a corresponding wind chill of -14 degrees. The weather service said it "would not be surprised" to record a gust of up to 100 mph.

"Not our typical storm" : Buffalo, New York — which is no stranger to snow — has declared a state of emergency as it anticipates the storm. A blizzard warning will go into effect at 7 a.m. Friday.

Forecasters anticipate strong, steady winds with gusts of up to 70 mph. One to 3 feet of snow is expected in the city of Buffalo and the favored snow belts south of the city, according to the weather service. Blizzard conditions could last several days, making travel extremely difficult or impossible at times.

Nearly half of the US population is now under wind chill alerts

From CNN's Dave Hennen

Wind chill alerts stretch from coast to coast and cover around 150 million Americans, or nearly half of the US population, according to a data analysis from the CNN Weather Team. All but just a handful of states in the US are impacted by the alerts that stretch continuously from the US/Canadian border to the US/Mexican border.

Wind chills overnight dropped 70 degrees below zero in parts of Montana and Wyoming — a number rarely seen in the US. Current wind chills are between 40 to 50 degrees below zero through much of the Northern Plains and are below zero as far south as Dallas and much of north Texas. 

The amount of the population impacted   will likely grow even higher as the Arctic front moves through the East tomorrow. Plummeting temperatures and dangerous wind chills are likely to continue through Christmas Eve and Christmas day across the eastern two-thirds of the country.

Wisconsin governor declares energy emergency due to winter weather conditions

From CNN's Raja Razek

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order Thursday declaring an energy emergency in the state due to winter weather conditions, according to a  news release from the governor's office.  

"Due to the below-average temperatures, accumulating and blowing snow throughout the state, deliveries of liquid fuels for home heating shipped by truck, barge, and particularly rail, are limited," the release read. "Additionally, since Wisconsin had several weather-related power outages recently, and more could occur from this weather event due to downed trees and ice on lines, eliminating barriers for energy emergency responders is essential, especially for out-of-state line workers."

In the event of power outages, the order would allow for swift delivery of fuel products and streamlined restoration efforts, according to the release. 

"According to the Public Service Commission’s Office of Energy Innovation, multiple liquid fuel terminals across the state have reported limited product supplies for distribution, and utilities indicated the potential for mutual aid response from out of state," the release read. 

Winter weather causing major disruptions to holiday travel at US airports as flight cancellations top 2,000

From CNN's Greg Wallace, Paul P. Murphy and Carol Alvarado 

Snow, rain, ice, wind and frigid temperatures are disrupting air travel plans across the country.

Airlines canceled over 2,100 US flights by 3 p.m. ET on Thursday and proactively canceled more than 1,000 flights on Friday, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware.

Delays were even more extensive, with more than 5,500 on Thursday as of 3 p.m. ET.

The impact is felt hardest in Chicago and Denver, where around a quarter of arrivals and departures – hundreds of flights at each airport – were canceled on Thursday, FlightAware data show.

At Chicago’s O’Hare, snow and ice is causing delays averaging 159 minutes — almost three hours — according to a notice from the Federal Aviation Administration.   

Temperatures at the airport are nearing freezing as the storm is beginning to settle into the greater Chicago area.

The FAA said departing aircraft at Dallas Love, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver and Minneapolis airports require a spraying of de-icing fluid for safe travel.

In the busy New York area, the FAA warned Newark flights should expect delays due to visibility issues.

The region’s three main airports are all warning travelers that today's rain and the incoming winter weather front may disrupt their travels.

For those whose flights are still scheduled to fly, the Transportation Security Administration is recommending that passengers arrive at the airport earlier than usual. 

Reagan National Airport’s TSA Federal Security Director John Busch told reporters that all airports “expect to be busier this holiday season than we've been in several years coming out of the pandemic. We've already seen some of our busiest days, yesterday and today and we expect maybe Friday (the) 30th ahead of the New Year's holiday can be also a very busy day.”

But Busch added TSA is “very well prepared to handle additional volume and throughput for our security checkpoints.”

More than 1,000 Friday flights are already canceled

From CNN's Greg Wallace

Flight cancellations are racking up quickly for tomorrow. 

Airlines have canceled more than 1,000 US flights scheduled for Friday, according to FlightAware. Thursday’s cancellation figure is approaching 2,000 as of 2:45 p.m. ET.

Thursday cancellations were highest at the Chicago and Denver airports, according to the FlightAware data.

Friday’s cancellations are currently highest in Detroit, followed by New York’s LaGuardia Airport as the storm impacts move east. 

More than 5,300 flights have been delayed on Thursday, according to FlightAware data. 

A guide to stay safe and warm through the winter storm

From CNN's Jacqueline Howard

When winter storms force us to brace for freezing rain, wind, sleet and snow, lives can be in danger. Here are some steps you can take to keep yourself and others safe when extreme cold strikes.

When staying indoors: During cold temperatures or a winter storm, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these  tips .

• Make sure any infants younger than 1 year old are not sleeping in cold rooms and have adequate warm clothing, such as footed pajamas, one-piece wearable blankets or sleep sacks. Remove any pillows or other soft bedding from a baby’s crib, since they pose the risk of smothering or sudden infant death syndrome.
• If you have friends or neighbors older than 65, check on them frequently to ensure that their homes are adequately heated.
• Leave water taps slightly open to prevent freezing pipes.
• Eat well-balanced meals to stay warm.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine, because they can cause your body to lose heat more rapidly.

“Never using generators, gas or charcoal grills, camp stoves, or similar devices inside your home, in basements, in garages, or near windows,” the CDC says. “The fumes are deadly.”

Using the stove for heat is not safe, the CDC warns; instead, use extra blankets, sleeping bags or coats. A well-maintained fireplace or a portable space heater may be a safe alternative.

When venturing outdoors: The CDC and National Weather Service have some recommendations:

• Dress warmly with hats, scarves and mittens and by wearing layers.
• Avoid walking on ice and avoid getting wet.
• If you have to shovel snow or do other outdoor work, take your time and work slowly. If you have older neighbors, offer to help shovel their walkways or driveways.
• Avoid traveling on ice-covered roads if possible.
• If you are stranded outdoors, it is safest to stay in your vehicle.
• Try to  keep pets indoors  during cold weather, but if they go outside, thoroughly wipe their legs and underbelly free of snow when returning indoors. Never let your dog off leash on snow or ice.

Other things to remember: An important risk-reducing measure hinges on wardrobe.

• Dress in layers: Put on more than one pair of gloves and then a mitten on top of that. The layers trap air and keep you warm.
• Avoid tight-fitting clothes
• If you get wet, take off wet clothes. They make things colder. Boots should be waterproof.
• Avoid too many cocktails in cold weather. It impairs mental awareness, limiting your ability to recognize symptoms of significant cold exposure. Alcohol also causes blood vessels to dilate, increasing heat loss.

CNN’s Dave Hennen and Jamie Gumbrecht contributed to this report.

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News 4 Buffalo

Travel ban lifted for all of Erie County

by: Adam Gorski , Aidan Joly

Posted: Jan 13, 2024 / 12:06 PM EST

Updated: Jan 15, 2024 / 02:52 PM EST

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The travel ban has been lifted for all of Erie County and downgraded to a travel advisory, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced, as harsh winter weather continues to impact Western New York.

All major highways have reopened, though travel may be slower than normal.

“As of 1 pm, the travel ban has been lifted for all of Erie County. A travel advisory remains in place, please be cautious while driving so our crews can continue clearing roads as quickly and safely as possible,” Poloncarz said in a social media post.

Monday, Poloncarz announced that the travel ban for the town and village of Lancaster was lifted as of 7 a.m. The ban for Cheektowaga, including the villages of Sloan and Depew, will be lifted at 9 a.m. Monday. The City of Lackawanna remained under a travel ban until 1 p.m.

Poloncarz on Sunday night issued an update on the Buffalo Bills’ public call for snow shovelers at Highmark Stadium, saying the county and state have authorized individuals to travel to the stadium to help with snow removal ahead of Monday’s postponed playoff game .

“In order to ensure the safety of the public at Highmark Stadium on Monday, the team requires shovelers tonight to clear the multiple feet of snow that fell this afternoon,” Poloncarz said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said that Monday’s game, which was moved from Sunday at 1 p.m. to Monday at 4:30 p.m., will not be postponed again.

The ban began at 9 p.m. Saturday. Any driver on the road that is not considered emergency personnel is at risk of receiving a ticket.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said in a Sunday update that 164 tickets have been issued by Buffalo Police. There have been 26 accidents, three of them resulting in injuries and they have had 10 stranded motorist calls. The New York State police said they issued 94 tickets for driving in the ban.

“The full travel ban gives us the opportunity to try to keep on top of the snow removal to keep the roads safe and clear,” Hochul said.

The winter storm has brought significant lake-effect snow, high winds and frigid wind chills to the area.

“If you get out on the roads, it is likely that you could get stuck. And if it’s so bad that we can’t find you or we cannot send troops out to rescue, it only puts your life at risk, and it also puts at risk the lives of the first responders,” Poloncarz said.

The Buffalo Bills playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was postponed to 4:30 p.m. on Monday after originally being scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.

You can view the Sunday storm briefings below.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

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Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the  News 4  team in 2022. You can find more of his work  here .

Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here .

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'This is going to be a dangerous storm.' Travel bans issued ahead of winter storm

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Due to the weekend storm, Gov. Kathy Hochul has issued a full travel ban across Erie County beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday.

In addition, all commercial traffic will be banned on the New York State Thruway between exit 46 (Henrietta) and the Pennsylvania State Line.

Bot travel bans will be in effect until further notice.

"This is going to be a dangerous storm," Hochul said at a noon press conference on Saturday.

⚠️ #WNY - TRAVEL ALERT: Beginning at 9 p.m. TONIGHT, all commercial traffic WILL BE BANNED on all State, County and local roads in Erie County and on the Thruway between exit 46 (Henrietta) and the Pennsylvania State Line. This ban will remain in effect indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/vUBjKQrUQN — New York State Thruway Authority (@NYSThruway) January 13, 2024

Winter storm warning issued for western New York

A winter storm warning has been issued for parts of western New York, including Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Niagara, and Orleans counties, from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning.

Heavy lake effect snow, reaching 1 to 3 feet in some areas, along with strong winds up to 65 mph, is expected.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo warns of significant blowing and drifting snow, leading to difficult to impossible travel conditions over the weekend.

A high wind warning is also in effect for Rochester and parts of western and central New York, with gusts up to 50-65 mph expected through Saturday night.

Buffalo Bills vs. Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game postponed

The NFL, Buffalo Bills, New York State, and Erie County officials on Saturday postponed the AFC wild-card game between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers to Monday at 4:30 p.m. due to the forecasted dangerous weather in Buffalo. The was scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.

C ontact Robert Bell at: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @byrobbell & Instagram:  @ byrobbell. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester NY Weather: Travel bans issued on NY Thruway, Erie County

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Black Ice Threat Looms for Tri-State: Get Real-Time Transit Updates Here

The powerful storm is expected to complicate transit with ice and more. here's the latest info, by nbc new york staff • published december 23, 2022 • updated on december 23, 2022 at 4:58 pm.

A rapidly intensifying winter storm that prompted a state of emergency from New York's governor flooded roads, downed trees and turned air travel into an abject nightmare -- and now the flash freeze threat looms strong.

No matter where you're going, you'll likely encounter delays or cancellations via road, rail, air or even sidewalk. We've got you covered with all the latest need-to-know transit information directly from the sources.

Remember to scroll down to find the latest update from your relevant agency, as transit situations can evolve quickly.

Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.

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Travel limited on NYS Thruway, I-81 due to winter storm; Hochul declares state of emergency

• Updated: Nov. 17, 2022, 6:19 p.m. |
• Published: Nov. 17, 2022, 7:15 a.m.

Tractor trailers use the NYS Thruway in Montezuma during a winter storm in this 2015 file photo.

• Geoff Herbert | [email protected]

Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency as the New York State Department of Transportation is limiting travel on some Upstate New York highways due to the winter storm Thursday.

Up to 3 feet of snow is possible in the Buffalo area and up 2 feet could fall around Watertown with snowfall rates of three inches per hour, Hochul’s office said . Hazardous travel conditions and local power outages are likely due to the combination of snow, ice and wind in the forecast.

“Parts of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Central New York and the North Country are about to get their first snowstorm of the season, which means we need everyone in these impacted regions to be ready for dangerous travel conditions,” Hochul said. “My team and I are deploying emergency response assets ahead of the storm, remain in constant contact with local officials, and are laser focused on the forecast. New Yorkers should remain vigilant ahead of the storm and avoid any unnecessary travel during these hazardous conditions.”

The governor also urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel in the Buffalo and Watertown areas starting Thursday evening through Friday. The New York State Thruway will be closed to commercial traffic in both directions from exit 46 (Rochester - Corning - I-390) to the Pennsylvania border starting Thursday at 4 p.m.

“Heavy, drifting snow with significant accumulations is expected,” New York State Police warned.

The NYS DOT also implemented a full commercial vehicle ban at the following locations beginning Thursday at 4 p.m.:

• Interstate 190 - Route 62 to I-90
• Interstate 290 - full length
• Interstate 990 - full length
• Route 33 - full length
• Route 219 - Route 39 to I-90
• Route 400 - full length
• Buffalo Skyway Route 5 - full length
• I-81 - Exit 33 to Canadian border - trucks use right lane only

Lake Effect Snow Warning and Winter Storm Watches are in effect through Sunday evening for several counties in the Western New York, Finger Lakes, Central New York and North Country regions. Traffic and travel conditions will be available by calling 511, visiting 511NY.org or on the free 511NY mobile app.

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BREAKING: Columbia is rethinking its commencement in wake of campus protests

Travel ban lifted in Erie County as road conditions improve, warmer weather settles in

A travel ban has been lifted in New York’s Erie County, days after it was put into place as a deadly blizzard swept across the region, at times reducing visibility to zero.

The ban, which was implemented Friday, expired at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, officials said.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown told reporters Wednesday night that the roads were in good enough condition to lift the ban.

“It has been 6 days,” Brown said. “Some people have not been able to restock groceries, to restock medications, to get to medical appointments, and being able to lift the travel ban safely now will allow people to do those important things.”

Most streets in the city are passable, Brown said, and he expected crews to have made a pass down the center of every residential street by the end of the night.

Though the ban has been lifted, a travel advisory was in place for Erie County as cleanup continues and a county-wide state of emergency remained. Brown asked people to be cautious and avoid driving unless necessary.

More than 450 pieces of equipment were on Buffalo streets plowing and hauling snow, and many traffic signals were still not working, he said.

The storm dumped upwards of 20 inches of snow in parts of New York — including nearly 52 inches at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.

The powerful storm plunged much of the United States into a deep freeze, creating life-threatening conditions as more than 1 million homes and businesses were left in the dark, and wreaking havoc on flight schedules during the busy holiday travel week.

At least 76 people died in the storm, according to an NBC News tally. Erie County accounted for 37 of the deaths, 29 of which were in Buffalo.

Weather-related deaths were also reported in Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Illinois and Vermont.

In Buffalo, officials said it was possible the number could rise.

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Wednesday night that police have cleared the backlog of calls relating to welfare checks, stranded motorists and reports of bodies.

Search and rescue teams were returning Thursday to check locations where bodies had been reported but could not be confirmed — either because of the amount of snow or the vagueness of location, Gramaglia said.

"We believe there were some credible 911 calls that contained more information ... low single digit numbers, that's again why we're going to concentrate our efforts on hitting those areas," he told reporters.

In Erie County, 17 of the people who died in the blizzard were found outside and four were in a vehicle , according to County Executive Mark Poloncarz.

Several people died because of a delay receiving emergency services or from cardiac events related to shoveling or blowing snow. Of the deaths, nine were people who died because they had no heat in their homes, he said.

Poloncarz said in a tweet Wednesday night that 500 National Guard members have conducted nearly 850 welfare checks on residents who had longterm power outages.

Power was being restored to New York, and by early Thursday, about 400 customers in the state were without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us .

In Buffalo, where more than 20,000 customers were without power at one point during the storm, only three had no electricity Wednesday night, according to Brown, the mayor.

On Wednesday, city offices, facilities and roadways opened, as temperatures rose into the 40s across parts of New York.

Buffalo Niagara International Airport, which has been closed since Friday , reopened Wednesday.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday night that all major state highways in western New York, including the Erie County portion of Interstate 190 and several state routes, would reopen at midnight.

“I am extremely grateful to all the highway maintenance workers, first responders and emergency service staff who continue to work tirelessly to help their fellow New Yorkers," Hochul said in a statement .   

The temperature is expected to continue climbing to the low-50s in the Buffalo region by Friday, and will help melt the accumulated snow, according to the National Weather Service .

Claire Cardona is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital.

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Hochul advises no unnecessary travel for parts of NYS during expected snowstorm

Gov. Kathy Hochul is urging New Yorkers to be prepared as a major winter storm is expected to impact the eastern regions of the state beginning Monday and continuing through Tuesday night. Parts of the  Capital Region, Mid-Hudson ,  Central New York, the Mohawk Valley and the North Country  could see up to 18 inches of snow.

The governor is advising New Yorkers in these regions to avoid any unnecessary travel as wet and slippery surfaces and reduced visibility will impact commutes Monday evening, all day Tuesday and possibly Wednesday morning.

Hochul says snow will be wet and heavy, and winds may reach up to 45 mph on Tuesday in parts of the state. This will increase the chances of power outages.

"New Yorkers should prepare now for a weather system set to bring significant snowfall to the eastern parts of the state, particularly for areas along the Hudson River and around the Capital Region," Hochul said in a statement. "I have directed state agencies to prepare emergency response assets and be ready to assist local governments if needed. Anyone in regions that will be impacted by the storm should prepare for two or three days of snowfall and hazardous travel conditions."  

A major Nor'easter will impact eastern New York starting tomorrow. At my direction, agencies have prepared emergency assets & are ready to assist localities if needed. In an impacted region? Prepare now for 2-3 days of snow & hazardous travel conditions. Stay safe, New York! https://t.co/RzGxNf0IJC — Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) March 12, 2023

Snow expectations will drop off the farther west you travel from Syracuse.

"This winter storm is a multi-day event that will make travel extremely difficult and dangerous in parts of NY,”   Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said in a statement. “ New Yorkers living and working in the eastern part of the state, especially the Capital and Mid-Hudson regions, should pay close attention to their local forecast, limit unnecessary travel, and plan ahead for power outages."  

The following equipment will be available statewide from regional crews: 

• 1,617 large plow trucks 
• 154 medium-duty plows 
• 52 tow plows 
• 344 large loaders 
• 37 snow blowers 

The Capital Region will be receiving 10 plow operators and two supervisors, Central New York receiving three plow operators and one supervisor, the Mid-Hudson region receiving 50 plow operators, eight supervisors, and nine equipment operator instructors from different regions of the state.

The Thruway Authority is also responding by making 680 operators and supervisors available statewide, and has more than 117,000 tons of salt on hand.

The governor says the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services is preparing to deploy more than 1,400 generators, 900 portable heaters, 550,000 cans and bottles of water, 9,000 cats, and 9,600 blankets if necessary from the state’s stockpile.

If you experience a power outage, you can call the following service providers to report an outage:

• Central Hudson: 800-527-2714  
• Con Edison: 800-752-6633  
• National Grid: 800-867-5222  
• NYSEG: 800-572-1131  
• O&R: 877-434-4100  
• PSEG-LI: 800-490-0075  
• RG&E: 800-743-1701  

More safety tips can be found on the  state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services website .

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Live updates, us issues travel warning for germany: ‘terrorist groups keep planning attacks’.

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The United States has issued a travel advisory to Germany over fears of terrorism .

On Wednesday, the Department of State upgraded Germany to Level 2 out of four — an edict to “exercise increased caution” — with the stark warning that “terrorist groups keep planning attacks in Germany.”

The US government added that tourist locations and transportation hubs are frequently targeted, along with hotels, restaurants, clubs, places of worship, parks, and both sporting and cultural events.

“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning,” the State Department noted.

In late March, Canada also advised travelers to “exercise a high degree of caution in Germany due to the threat of terrorism.”

The United Kingdom’s foreign travel advice additionally cited incidents of terror in Germany in recent years.

These include a killing and severe injury from a knife attack in Dresden in 2020, as well as two mass shootings at bars in Hanau that killed eight in the same year.

In 2019, two people were fatally shot near a synagogue in the city of Halle.

The State Department advises travelers to “identify safe areas” to turn toward in the event of an attack.

“Formulate a plan of action. Know where you will go if a terrorist attack or security incident takes place.”

Germany is the only European nation to have an elevated travel warning from the US in 2024, except for Ukraine bordering Moldova, which is on the same level two status due to Ukraine’s war with Russia.

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News Analysis

Florida’s Six-Week Abortion Ban Is Now Law, With Political Implications

The ban, which took effect on Wednesday, was part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s push into cultural conservatism. But Florida politics is rarely that simple.

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By Patricia Mazzei

Reporting from Miami

As Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida prepared to run for president last spring, he gathered anti-abortion activists in his Capitol office for an unusual bill signing, held late at night and behind closed doors.

Florida lawmakers had just approved a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a major policy shift that would sharply restrict access to the procedure for women in neighboring states as well as for Floridians. That law took effect on Wednesday.

For Mr. DeSantis, the move seemed like something that would play well among some Republican presidential primary voters in states like Iowa. But this was Florida, and public opinion polls suggested broad opposition to such a strict law.

So Mr. DeSantis, who typically crisscrosses the state to sign bills, enacted the six-week ban in April 2023 with little fanfare, part of a headlong push into cultural conservatism meant to bolster his national campaign.

Mr. DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race in January. His culture wars appear to have peaked, at least for now. Voters in a string of states, including more traditionally Republican ones, have chosen to protect or expand abortion rights. A similar ballot measure will go before Florida voters in November, with the potential to significantly influence contests down the ballot.

Perhaps the biggest political question in Florida, though, is just how much abortion might swing the election. Is it unique enough to turn around a state that has trended reliably Republican?

The proposed constitutional amendment, known as Amendment 4, would allow abortions “before viability,” or up to about 24 weeks, and would need more than 60 percent support to pass. That threshold is high, especially in the face of an organized opposition campaign characterizing the language as too far-reaching.

“The average Floridian, when they hear the truth about this extreme amendment, they will vote it down,” State Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka, a Fort Myers Republican, said last month.

But some Floridians, including some Republicans, have wondered whether a relentless pursuit of divisive policies ahead of Mr. DeSantis’s presidential run might now be forcing a bit of recalibration to be more in line with the state’s diverse electorate.

The governor and Republican lawmakers pursued fewer culture war fights during this year’s legislative session. They made it harder for residents to file book challenges in schools. The state also settled a lawsuit filed by opponents of a law prohibiting instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity through the eighth grade.

“We’re very much Middle America,” said the Rev. Sarah Robinson, pastor of the Audubon Park Covenant Church in Orlando, who attended a “Yes on 4” rally last month. “Middle-class people who are trying to raise families and care for their communities. And there are definitely things that they’d rather be doing than fighting these policies.”

National Democrats have expressed optimism that the abortion ballot measure could put Florida in play, despite no clear commitment of how much money the party is willing to spend in the state and a substantial Democratic disadvantage in voter registrations. President Biden briefly spoke about the six-week ban in Tampa last week, and Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Jacksonville to draw attention to the state ban on Wednesday.

“There is one person responsible for this nightmare: Donald Trump,” Mr. Biden said in a statement about the ban.

Asked on Tuesday about Democrats’ hopeful claims, Mr. DeSantis offered a dismissive “Pfft” and laughed.

“I welcome Biden-Harris to spend a lot of money in Florida. Light up the airwaves,” he said, indicating that the funds would be poorly spent. “We are fine with you doing that here, but I can confidently predict that you will see Republican victories, not just at the top of the ticket but up and down the ballot.”

Former President Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, who won Florida in 2016 and 2020 and resides in Palm Beach, has refused to say whether he will vote against the constitutional amendment. He has recently suggested that some states have gone too far in restricting abortion, though in keeping with his shifting views on the issue, he has also said that the decision should lie with the states.

Democrats have tried to pin the strict state abortion laws on Mr. Trump for appointing to the Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

For his part, Mr. DeSantis has rarely campaigned on the ban that he signed. On Tuesday, he mostly focused on waiving admission fees for Florida state parks during Memorial Day weekend and on promoting Gulf red snapper season.

“This was done to help Ron DeSantis in his ambitious plan to run for president,” State Senator Lauren Book, the Democratic minority leader, said of the ban. “It didn’t work, and it has really created dire, dangerous consequences for women.”

Florida is full of transplants from the Northeast and Midwest, and their cultural politics have skewed more liberal — or at least more libertarian — than those in other parts of the Deep South. Floridians have elected Republicans while also approving liberal ballot proposals, including ones that raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour, restored felons’ voting rights and legalized medical marijuana.

Before Mr. DeSantis enacted a 15-week abortion ban in April 2022, Florida allowed abortions up to 24 weeks.

John Stemberger, the president of Liberty Counsel Action, an anti-abortion lobbying group, said that Florida’s 24-week law had less to do with public opinion and more to do with legal precedent set by the Florida Supreme Court in 1989. The court ruled then that a privacy clause in the State Constitution extended to abortion rights.

“It didn’t really reflect the demographics of Florida,” Mr. Stemberger said of the old ruling. “It reflected the opinion of seven justices who made a policy-oriented decision.”

The court, now conservative and nearly entirely appointed by Mr. DeSantis, reversed that position on April 1. Mr. Stemberger credited Mr. DeSantis for stocking his administration with “solid social conservatives” willing to push abortion restrictions: “Personnel is policy.”

Even with the 15-week ban in place, there was an uptick in abortions in Florida last year, in part because women from other Southern states with stricter laws had traveled to Florida for the procedure.

Stephanie Loraine Piñeiro, executive director of the Florida Access Network, a fund that helps women in Florida pay for abortions, said that requests for support doubled in April, as the countdown to the six-week ban was underway. The organization increased its budget by 25 percent for the month but still had to turn away some patients.

“The reality is that people are going to continue to need abortion access,” she said, “regardless of the election cycle.”

Patricia Mazzei is the lead reporter for The Times in Miami, covering Florida and Puerto Rico. More about Patricia Mazzei

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Woman who traveled to get abortion sounds off on Florida's new law

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Texas woman who traveled to Colorado for an abortion because of her state’s strict abortion law is speaking out against Florida's new six-week abortion ban as it takes effect.

What You Need To Know

 abortion rights advocate lauren miller is blasting florida's six-week abortion ban that went into effect wednesday  miller had to travel out of her home state for an abortion due to strict laws in texas  florida voters will decide on abortion rights ballot initiative in november.

Lauren Miller  learned she was pregnant with twins in  July 2022  but later found out one of the twins had severe abnormalities, with no chance to survive. Because of Texas’ strict abortion laws, she had to leave the state for an abortion. 

“Despite the risk to myself, despite the risk to our healthy twin, all any doctors, nurses or genetic counselors could say was every day that I continued the twin pregnancy, our unviable twin put his healthy brother and myself at greater risk,” Miller said. “And that’s the end of health care in Texas these days.”

After receiving an abortion in Colorado, Miller later gave birth to the viable twin. But, she says leaving Texas to get abortion care cost thousands of dollars, versus a $50 co-pay. 

“It still haunts me. This is still something that I wake up a year and a half later with nightmares of being hunted and losing my son because of how physically and psychologically traumatic this experience is now, because you’re just trying to save your life and you feel like you’re doing something wrong for that,” Miller said. 

Miller has become an abortion rights advocate, speaking out against laws like the one in Florida that took effect Wednesday. It bans  most abortions  in the state after six-weeks of pregnancy, with some  exceptions  for rape, incest and when the life of the mother is in danger. 

Opponents of abortion rights say they are celebrating the law going into effect.

“According to data from the Florida Health Department and a study that ... Charlotte Lozier Institute put together, based off of that data it’s estimated that about 50,000 lives will be saved annually with this law in effect,” said Caitlin Connors, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America Southern Regional Director. 

But supporters of abortion rights say they are not giving up on the issue in the Sunshine State.

“We have an amendment that over a million voters were able to sign a petition to get on the ballot in Florida, Amendment Four that would enshrine abortion rights, reproductive rights into the state constitution and that’ll be on the ballot in November,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

“Every single person needs to be making two plans if they’re in Florida. The first is their plan to get out of state if they need an abortion. And, the second is their plan to vote in November, because neither of those are last-minute things anymore. Those are things we need to start planning now,” Miller said. 

How Florida's six-week abortion ban will impact people in and around the state

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Now to Florida, where a ban on abortions after six weeks has taken effect. That means that, starting today, people can no longer access legal abortions in the state after six weeks of pregnancy - with rare exceptions. Abortion rights proponents say the restriction will dramatically curb access to the procedure for thousands of people - and not just in Florida, but all across the South. Caitlin Myers is a professor of economics at Middlebury College, where she has been tracking travel distances to abortion facilities for the last 15 years. She joins us now. Welcome.

CAITLIN MYERS: Thank you.

CHANG: OK, so this ban in Florida - it takes effect today, as we said. Can you just first explain to people - what does a six-week ban mean, practically speaking, for a person who discovers they're pregnant in Florida and doesn't want to be pregnant? Like, they have to figure things out pretty fast, right?

MYERS: Very fast. So the soonest most people realize that they're pregnant is at about four weeks' gestational age, and that's because we date pregnancies from the date of the last menstrual period.

CHANG: Right.

MYERS: What that means in practice is that for people who realize at roughly the time they miss a regular period that they might be pregnant, that they have about two weeks to decide what they want to do, to gather the resources, to make an appointment and to obtain the abortion.

CHANG: Which is a super tight timeline.

MYERS: It's very tight. Some people will manage it. A lot won't.

CHANG: Well, let's talk about logistics because you track data on how far people will have to travel to get an abortion sometimes. Like, let's take the example of someone in Miami-Dade County, in Florida, who wants to get an abortion after the six-week mark. What options do they have?

MYERS: Well, they really have three. So if they're past six weeks and unable to obtain an abortion from a facility in Florida, they are facing a drive of about 11 hours to the nearest facility that could provide them with an abortion...

CHANG: Wow.

MYERS: ...Which is in Charlotte, N.C. And even if they're able to figure out how to get to Charlotte, N.C., North Carolina actually has a mandatory three-day waiting period that would require this person to have an in-person appointment, wait three days, then obtain the abortion, on top of an 11-hour drive each way. So a lot of people are going to go past North Carolina, several more hours, into Virginia.

CHANG: There are financial consequences to all of this, right?

MYERS: Oh, absolutely. When you think about people who are seeking abortions, the majority of people seeking abortions are low-income - about 75%. We also know from economic research that this is a population that is very credit-constrained. More than 80% have subprime credit scores, which means it could be really difficult to come up with the resources to make that kind of trip.

CHANG: Exactly.

MYERS: So some people are going to be looking to scrape together the resources, obtain the support, obtain child care, get time off of work and drive 11 to 13 hours or more to North Carolina or Virginia. Others are going to turn to telemedicine medication abortion. Particularly since shield laws have come online in several states, it's increasingly common for people in ban states seeking abortions to order the medications online and have them shipped to them in the mail.

CHANG: Florida is not the first state to enact a ban like this since the Dobbs decision. Can you talk about why, though, this ban in Florida is especially significant in your mind?

MYERS: Yeah, Florida is a really big deal for a couple of reasons. The first is that it's just a really big state with a lot of people. So last year, about 86,000 people obtained abortions in Florida. The second reason it's a big deal is its unique geography means that people who previously would have obtained an abortion in Florida are facing really long driving distances to reach facilities that can provide abortions past six weeks because the nearest facilities are in Virginia and North Carolina.

MYERS: The third reason Florida is a really big deal is that, up until today, Florida had been a really important destination for people who were traveling out of other states enforcing abortion bans. In particular, people who were leaving Mississippi and Alabama in search of abortions and people who were traveling south from Georgia, which has a six-week abortion ban, had been traveling to Florida. And so in the last year, we've seen a really big increase in out-of-state travelers who are coming to Florida for abortions. And now Florida is not a viable option for them either, and they also face much larger - much longer travel distances.

CHANG: Yeah. So what will you be watching for specifically in the weeks - and months - to come?

MYERS: So I have a research team here at Middlebury College that surveys appointment availability at U.S. abortion facilities. What we saw last month when we last surveyed in mid-April is that there were already some signs of capacity constraints, particularly in North Carolina. There were quite a few facilities that didn't have appointments available in the next few weeks, even before Florida had begun enforcing this ban. We'll be surveying again this month to see what's happening to appointment availability in these key destination states to see if travel out of Florida is taxing the system, and so we'll just have to - we'll have to find out when we survey.

CHANG: That is Caitlin Myers, professor of economics at Middlebury College. Thank you so much for joining us today.

MYERS: Thanks for having me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.